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A 

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OLD?§feciPLE  AND  A  MODERN  PROFESSOR , 


OR, 


'*>VT»Y<^^ 


CLOSE   COMMUNION   BAPTIST   SENTIMENTS 
ABROGATED, 

AND   THE 

FREE  OR  MIXED  COMMUNION  BAPTIST  SENTIMENTS 

ESTABLISHED 

BY     THE 

SCRIPTURES,  AND  BY  CHRISTIAN  EXPERIENCE 


BY    JOHN    POCOCK. 


'•Ask  for  the  old  paths,  where  is  the  good  way,  and  walk  therein,  and  yo  shall  find 
r«st  for  your  souls." — Jer.  6 :  16. 
"In  vain  ye  worship  ma,  teaching  for  doctrine  the  commandments  of  men." — 

Mat.  15:  9. 


UTICA: 

PUBLISHED  BY  THE  AUTHOR. 

R.  Northwiy,  Jr ,  Printer. 

1833. 


TO  THE  TRUE  CHRISTIAN  READER. 

Beloved  of  the  Lord,  I,  having  long  mourned  at  (be  state  of  die  church  of  God,  and 
the  acts  of  anti-clirist,  to  ensnare  and  divide  real  christian  communion;  having  tried 
persecution  and  worldly  honor :  In  the  first,  the  believer  triumphed  ;  in  the  latter,  true 
christians  mourned  and  hyocrites  rejoiced.  Satan,  finding  it  grieved  true  disciples  and 
pleased  his  own  children,  has,  in  erne  sect  or  another,  by  various  errors,  kept  the  worldly 
in  motion  and  buried  the  saints  by  priestcraft,  in  ami  christian  forms  and  ceremonies; 
and  through  philosophy  and  vain  deceit,  robbed  them  of  those  blessed  oidinances  ap- 
pointed for  their  comfort;  and  weakened  their  faith — causing  a  stupor  on  lhe;r  minds, 
and  a  trying  to  fill  iheir  belly  with  the  husks  that  the  carnal  professor  feeilelh  on  ;  and 
even  those  husks  are  mixed  with  so  much  earth  as  to  cause  the  true  sheep  to  be  sickly  ; 
and  being  weak,  to  settle  down  in  the  various  plans  of  anti-christ,  called  by  them  re- 
ligion. But  alas  !  few  arise  to  discover  the  snares  and  abuses  of  true  christian  privile- 
ges, and  place  the  ordinances  as  they  were  delivered. 

In  these  few  lines,  I  have  tried  to  bring  to  light  one  of  the  gospel  ordinances,  and  to 

remove  one  of  the  bars  to  christian  fellowship,  (and,  if  God  will,  I  may  review  others 

at  a  future  day,)  praying  that  the  dear  Lord  may  bless  the  attempt  of  one  of  his  most 

-unworthy  servants,  to  help  his  children  to  arise  and  shake  themselves  from  the  dust  and 

sit  down  at  the  feet  of  our  dear  Lord  Jesus  :    And  that  they  may  receive  every  grace  to 

the  comfort  and  joy  of  their  hearts,  prays  their 

Unworthy  friend  and  brother  in  Christ, 

JOHN  POCOCK. 
Utica,  January,  1833. 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2011  with  funding  from 

Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Library 


http://www.archive.org/details/dialoguebetweenoOOpoco 


A    DIALOGUE 

BETWEEN    AN    OLD    DISCIPLE    AND    A    MODERN    PROFESSOR. 


M.  P.  Good  morning,  old  dadda.  You  was  not  at  our  church 
meeting  last  evening. 

O.  D.     No.     Was  any  thing  done  there  of  particular  note  1 

M.  P.  Yes.  Several  things  have  grieved  some ;  and  yet  1 
think  it  a  matter  of  joy  that  the  church  maintains  the  true  order 
of  the  gospel,  although  it  causes  grief  to  some  of  our  brethren. 

O.  D.  Great  care  ought  to  be  observed  in  giving  grief,  or  caus- 
ing sorrow  in  the  breast  of  any  of  the  true  children  of  God,  lest  we 
offend  our  Lord;  for  he  has  said,  "offend  not  one  of  these  little  ones, 
for  their  angel  ever  beholdeth  the  face  of  their  Father  in  glory." 
Although  he  says,  "offences  shall  come  ;  but- wo  unto  them  by 
whom  the  offence  cometh."     But  pray,  what  caused  the  grief? 

M.  P.     Why,  would  you  think  it1?     Mr.   Goodman  asked  the 

Erivilege  to  sit  down  with  us  at  our  communion  ;  and  you  know  he 
as  not  been  baptized,  although  he  says  he  has  received  the  blessed 
evidence  of  his  adoption  into  the  true  church  of  God  ;  has  also  been 
blessed  with  the  baptism  of  the  Spirit,  and  enjoys  sweet  fellowship 
with  God,  by  faith  in  Christ  through  the  Holy  Spirit.  And  truly, 
his  walk  and  conversation  are  evidences  of  what  he  says.  I  believe 
all  the  church  highly  esteem  him  as  a  real  disciple  of  Christ.  This 
is  what  caused  the  grief  to  many,  to  deny  his  request ;  as  all  wish 
he  would  be  baptised  and  join  our  church. 

O.  D.  Then  the  church  denied  him  his  request  to  sit  at  the 
(able  of  the  Lord  and  partake  of  the  emblems  of  the  "broken  body 
and  spilled  blood"  of  his  Lord,  although  he  is  charged  to  do  this  in 
remembrance  of  his  Lord  1  Indeed,  I  do  not  wonder  that  many 
were  grieved.  For,  if  the  God  of  heaven  has  not  denied  him  sweet 
communion  with  him,  having  pardoned  his  sins  and  redeemed  him 
by  the  blood  of  Jesus  ;  and  the  blessed  Spirit  witnesseth  with  his 
spirit  that  he  is  a  son  of  God :  O !  I  tremble  to  think  if  the  Lord 
should  say — by  what  word,  or  by  what  authority  have  you  done 
(his,  to  send  my  son  from  my  table  1  What  could  the  church  say  ? 
They  must  be  forever  silent,  or  acknowledge  they  have  sinned. 

%M.  P.  Yes  ;  but  you  know  we  are  called  close  communion  Bap- 
tists ;  and  our  church  covenant  forbids  his  admission  unless  he  is 
baptized.  All  covenants  not  made  agreeably  to  the  word  of  the 
Lord,  are  not  binding  on  the  disciples  of  Christ.  But  our  church  is 
of  long  standing ;  and  we  take  our  example  from  our  Lord  himself, 
and  from  the  2d  chapter  of  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  as  the  platform  of 
our  order. 

O.  D.  I  believe  you  have  no  order  from  our  Lord  Jesus,  nor  ex- 
ample in  any  apostolical  writing,  for  your  practice  of  forbidding  one 
true  disciple  from  his  privilege  at  the  Lord's  table  ;  but  offend  our 
dear  Lord  by  grieving  his  members  in  dealing  with  them  as  with 
"the  vilest  of  sinners,  such  as  drunkards  or  openly  profane.     What 


more  could  you  do  to  them  than  to  exclude  them  from  your  com- 
munion 1 

M.  P.  O,  dear !  you  shock  me  by  supposing  such  a  thing. — 
Why  we  all  love  him,  but  he  refuses  to  be  baptized  and  join  our 
church. 

O.  D.  You  have  no  precept  or  example  in  the  Book,  which  au- 
thorises you  to  forbid  a  real  child  of  God,  although  not  baptized,  a 
place  at  the  table  of  his  Lord,  or  to  deprive  him  of  any  christian  pri- 
vilege oil  that  account. 

kM.  P.  Why,  you  surprise  me  !  Have  we  not  the  example  of 
Christ  himself?  Was  not  he  baptized  by  John?  Did  he  not  bid 
his  disciples  to  go  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them?  And 
has  he  not  promised,  that  he  that  believeth  and  is  baptized  shall  be 
saved  1  and  are  we  not  told  that  they  were  baptized,  both  men  and 
women  1 

O.  D.  All  that  you  have  quoted  is  no  proof  to  support  your 
practice  of  refusing  fellowship  to  unbaptized  persons  ;  nor  have  you 
any  one  scripture  to  support  such  a  practice. 

M.  P.  Have  not  all  the  christian  churches  adopted  the  same 
practice  ever  since  the  Apostles,  with  this  difference  only :  that 
many  profess  to  baptize  infants,  and  differ  in  their  modes,  by  sprink- 
ling or  pouring,  but  call  it  all  baptism  1  But  you  have  greatly  err- 
ed in  setting  aside  the  first  ordinance  of  the  gospel — the  entering 
door  to  the  fellowship  of  the  church. 

O.  D.  You  have  made  void  the  law  by  your  tradition.  By  what 
Bcripture  dare  you  call  baptism  the  first  gospel  ordinance,  or  the 
door  to  the  communion  or  church  fellowship  1  John's  baptism  was 
not  a  gospel  ordinance  :  for  he  says,  "I  indeed  baptize  you  with 
water — I  shall  decrease  ;  he,  Christ,  shall  baptize  you  with  the  Ho- 
ly Ghost — he  shall  increase."  John  says  of  himself,  "I  am  the 
voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness,  prepare  ye  the  way  of  the 
Lord;" — and  Christ  says  of  John,    "he  is  the  greatest  of  the  pro- 

Ehets  ;  yet  he  that  is  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  is  greater  than 
e."     John  pointed  to  the  Messiah  as  no  other  did. 

M.  P.  By  what  authority  dare  or  can  you  speak  against  our 
practice,  or  vindicate  mixed  or  open  communion  in  church  ordinan- 
ces or  fellowship  1 

O.  D.  By  the  written  word  of  our  Lord,  by  christian  experience, 
and  by  right  reason. 

M.  P.  Why,  will  you  pretend  to  be  wiser  than  all  the  great 
and  learned  divines  that  have  written  on  our  practice  1  Besides, 
we  are  all  exhorted  to  be  of  one  mind  ;  to  speak  the  same  things, 
and  to  hold  the  unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,  which  can- 
not be  in  a  mixed  or  open  communion  society.  And  further,  it  is 
said  of  the  first  gathered  gospel  church — "they  were  baptized, 
added  to  the  church,  and  continued  in  the  Apostle's  doctrine,  in 
fellowship,  in  breaking  of  bread,  and  in  prayer."  Now  what  dare 
you  say  against  this  rule  ? 

O.  D.  That  your  quotation  is  not  according  to  the  record  in  the 
2d  of  the  Acts.  A  part  of  the  text  is  omitted,  which  says,  "as  many 
as  received  the  word  giadly  were  baptized ;  and  the  same  day,  (that 
they  were  baptized  another  act  was  recorded,)  there  were  added 
unto  them  about  three  thousand  souls. 


M.  P.  Thrse  thousand  were  baptized  and  added  to  the  church  , 
so  we  all  understand  it  to  mean.  But,  pray,  let  rne  hear  your  ar- 
gument. 

O.  D.  In  favor  of  your  opinion,  no  doubt,  much  has  and  may  be 
said.  But  I  dare  not  refuse  any  of  my  Father's  dear  children  any 
gospel  privilege  without  a  plain  command  or  precept  in  his  written 
word  ;  and  as  I  do  not  believe  that  any  church  was  formed  on  close 
communion  Baptist  principles,  recorded  in  the  New  Testament,  so  I 
believe  that  no  less  than  three  or  four  open  or  mixed  communion 
churches  are  mentioned  in  it. 

J\l.  P.  You  really  surprise  me  to  hear  you  assert  such  words  ; 
but  pray,  let  me  hear  your  thoughts  on  the  subject. 

O.  D.  Then  I  should  first  say  that  John's  baptism  was  not 
gospel  baptism.  For  our  dear  Lord  says  of  John,  that  he  was  a 
prophet ;  and  that,  although  the  greatest  of  the  prophets,  yet  he  that 
was  least  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven  was  greater  than  John  Baptist. 
If  so,  both  John  and  his  baptism  of  course  were  not  gospel.  Besides, 
John  says  his  baptism  was  only  unto  repentance  ;  also,  that  he 
should  decrease,  or  cease.  But  gospel  baptism  requires-  faith  in 
the  Lord  Jesus.  Acts,  8,  37  :  10,  47.  Besides,  our  Lord  never  did 
once,  until  after  his  death,  direct  his  disciples  to  baptize  ;  although 
he  sent  them  out  to  preach,  and  told  them  what  to  say  and  what  to 
do.  He  sent  twice,  seventy  ;  but  no  order  or  authority  to  baptize. 
At  their  return,  not  one  word  is  said  about  how  many  they  had 
baptized.  Now,  if  the  gospel  kingdom  was  begun  with  John  Bap- 
tist, why  this  silence  1 

M.  P.  But  we  are  told  that  the  disciples  baptized  many  :  more- 
over, that  our  dear  Lord  was  baptized  by  John  ;  and  that  he  said 
to  John,  "  Suffer  it  to  be  so  now."  But  John  told  Jesus  that  he  had 
need  to  be  baptized  of  Jesus;  for  John  had  before  said  of  Jesus, 
that  he  should  baptize  with  the  Holy  Ghost. 

O.  D.  It  is  true  that  Jesus  was  baptized  in  Jordan,  and  was 
also  circumcised.  But  we  have  nothing  to  do  with  circumcision. 
So  of  John's  baptism  ;  having  no  command  left. on  record  by  our 
Lord  Jesus.  For  John's  baptism  pointed  to  the  washing  of  regene- 
ration, or  a  cleansing  from  sin  by  the  blood  of  the  atonement : 
therefore,  all  sensible  sinners  were  invited  to  that  ordinance  ;  and 
hence  John's  preaching— Ye  generation  of  vipers,  ye  serpents,  who 
hath  warned  you  to  flee  from  the  wrath  to  come  !  Bring  forth, 
therefore,  fruits  meet  for  repentance.  And,  although  it  is  said,  the 
disciples  baptized  more  than  John,  I  conclude  that  Peter  and  An- 
drew, being  John's  disciples,  and  having  a  right  understanding  of 
John's  doctrine  and  practice  ;  and  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  or  the 
gospel  state,  being  near  at  hand,  as  the  Savior  had  told  them  to  say 
in  their  preaching :  they  practiced  John's  baptism  till  the  church  of 
Christ  was  to  be  manifested. 

•M.  P.  But  were  not  all  the  disciples  baptized  as  well  as  their 
Lord  ;  and  also,  all  believers  by  them  1 

O.  D.  I  believe  there  is  no  proof,  nor  any  record  of  any  but 
Christ  and  the  two  disciples,  Peter  and  Andrew,  until  after  the 
resurrection  of  our  Lord,  being  baptized  among  all  the  disciples,  nor 
any  order  to  baptize  until  after  the  institution  of  the  Lord's  supper. 


8 

J\l.  P.  You  really  surprise  me  :  for  all  the  churches  of  every  or- 
der of  Christians,  maintain  that  every  person  must  be  baptized  be- 
fore communion,  (either  in  infancy  or  adults)  or  profession  of  faith. 
O.  D.  This  proves  nothing-.  The  pharisees  made  void  the  law 
by  their  own  inventions  or  traditions  ;  but  nothing-  except — "  Thus 
saith  the  Lord,"  is  a  right  rule  of  faith  or  practice. 

M.  P.  Then  would  you  set  aside  one  of  the  gospel  ordinances 
entirely  1    O  !  it  shocks  me  to  think  of  it ! 

O.  J).  No.  I  believe  the  ordinances  of  baptism  and  the  Lord's 
supper,  to  be  the  ordinances  of  the  gospel  appointed  by  o.ur  Lord 
himself.  But  I  wish  them  to  be  kept  in  their  proper  place,  and  dis- 
tinct from  all  corrupt  or  carnal  inventions  of  carnal  men.  I  do  con- 
sider them  teaching  ordinances  in  the  church  of  God. 

M.  P.  Then  you  would  have  the  Lord's  supper  for  the  first  orT 
dinance,  I  expect ;  although  it  is  plain  that  many  were  baptized 
upon  believing. 

O.  D.  No.  I  have  no  authority  for  placing  them  other  than  our 
Lord  has  placed  them  :  and  I  think  the  first  institution  of  our  Lord's 
supper  was  to  a  mixed  communion,  being  only  two  disciples  there 
whose  baptism  is  on  record  ;  even  John's  baptism. 

M.  P.  I  am  shocked  and  surprised  !  But  you  said  there  were 
three  or  four  mixed  or  open  communion  churches  recorded  in  the 
New  Testament. 

O.  D.  I  have  just  mentioned  one,  at  the  supper  of  the  Lord.  The 
second  is  on  record  in  the  second  chapter  of  the  Acts-  As  before, 
the  number  baptized  is  not  on  record  ;  but  the  same  day  that  they 
were  baptized,  there  were  added  unto  them  about  three  thousand  souls  ; 
of  whose  baptism  there  is  no  record.  It  is  only  said  that  "they 
continued  steadfastly  in  the  apostles'  doctrine  and  fellowship,  and 
in  breaking  of  bread,  and  in  prayers."  The  third  is  recorded  in 
Romans,  6,  3.  This  epistle  is  directed  unto  the  saints  beloved  of 
God,  and  called  to  be  saints  at  Rome,  which  was  of  course  a  chris- 
tian church  of  beloved  saints.  To  these  he  says,  "  so  many  of  us  as 
were  baptized  into  Jesus  Christ  were  baptized  into  his  death."  So 
many  of  us,  must,  in  the  plain  sense  of  the  words,  mean  apart  of  the 
us,  and  cannot  mean  the  whole.  Of  course,  this  must  mean  a 
mixed  or  open  communion  church  ; — some  were  not  baptized — 
some  baptized.  The  fourth  is  recorded  in  the  epistle  to  the  Gala- 
tians,  3d  chap.  26th  and  27th  verses.  Paul  says — "  For  ye  are  all 
the  children  of  God  by  faith  in  Christ  Jesus.  For  as  many  of  you 
as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ  have  put  on  Christ."  As  before, 
as  many  of  you,  must  be  a  part  of  the  whole  ;  yet  called  a  church  of 
God. 

M.  P.  But  I  object.  In  Acts,  2  :  28,  Peter  says,  "repent  and  be 
baptized  every  one  of  you  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  the  re- 
mission of  your  sins,  and  ye  shall  receive  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost." 
Now  can  you  believe  any  one  remained  unbaptized  after  such  an 
exhortation  1 

O.  D.  The  history  says,  u  as  many  as  gladly  received  the  word 
were  baptized,"  as  before.  Now,  to  me  it  appears  strange  that  faith 
was  not  asked  of  them.  It  is  also  evident,  that  they  had  not  the 
Holy  Spirit ;  for  Peter  promises  they  shall  have  the  Holy  Spirit. 


They  are  also  told  to  wash  away  their  sins.  Is  this  christian  bap- 
tism, or  John's,  judge  ye  1  Paul  speaks  of  "one  baptism,  one  faith, 
one  Lord."  John  Baptist  says  of  Jesus,  "  he  shall  baptize  you  with 
the  Holy  Ghost." 

JW.  P.  Well ;  I  believe  the  one  baptism  to  be  ours,  or  immer- 
sion in  water  to  all  believers.  The  baptism  of  the  Spirit  was  only 
on  the  apostles. 

O.  D.  Then  in  what  spirit  was  the  church  at  Cornelius's  house 
baptized  1  Acts,  I  Oth  chapter,  44th  verse  to  the  end  of  the  chapter. 
1  Corinthians,  12 ;  13.  Baptized  by  one  spirit  into  one  body,  and 
this  a  gentile  church  :  and  the  promise  of  God  by  the  prophet  Joel, 
as  Acts,  1  :  16,  17 :  "  On  my  servants  and  handmaids  I  will  pom- 
out  my  Spirit :"  And  this  spirit  John  Baptist  declaied  Christ  should 
baptize  with.  Paul  says,  writing  to  the  Corinthian  church,  "we 
are  all  baptized  by  one  Spirit." 

M.  P.  Well ;  but  you  said  you  believed  in  the  ordinances  of 
baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper  ;  but  you  now  contend  for  the  bap- 
tism of  the  Spirit.  I  cannot  see  what  you  understand  by  the  ordi- 
nances, or  how  you  would  use  them. 

O.  D.  I  understand  by  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  supper,  the 
suffering  and  death  of  the  Lord  Jesus  ;  and  agreeably  to  the  appoint- 
ment, do  show  my  faith  and  hope  in  his  death,  until  he  come  ;  and 
as  a  disciple,  hear  him  say< — "do  this  in  remembrance  of  me."  By 
baptism,  I  witness  my  faith  and  hope  in  the  burial  and  resurrection 
of  our  Lord,  and  my  interest  in  them. 

M.  P.  But  you  have  placed  the  Lord's  supper  first  instead  of 
baptism. 

O.  D.  I  know  it.  But  I  have  placed  them  as  I  believe  our  Lord 
appointed  them  ;  fori  believe  suffering  and  death  should  be  before 
burial  and  resurrection. 

J\f.  P.  Doth  not  the  commission  say,  "  go  teach  all  nations, 
baptizing  them'?  In  what  way  can  you  answer  this,  unless  you, 
immediately  on  the  conversion  of  a  sinner,  lead  him  into  the  water  1 

0.  D.  I  have  no  doubt  but  sometimes  it  was  done  :  But  the 
word  of  Jesus  is,  "  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  ;"  and  St.  Paul 
so  acted,  understanding  baptism  as  a  secondary  article  :  I.  Cor.  1 : 
14 — 17  :  or  why  should  he  thank  God  he  had  baptized  none  of  them 
except  a  few  he  names?  And  Peter  says,  "not  the  putting  away 
the  filth  of  the  flesh,  but  the  answer  of  a  good  conscience:"  by 
which  I  must  understand  the  Spirit's  baptism  ;  that  being  inward 
and  spiritual ;  and  not  water,  as  water  is  outward,  to  the  cleansing 
or  putting  away  the  dirt  or  filth  of  the  flesh.  Peter  says,  this  bap- 
tism saveth  us  ;  (but  outward,  or  water,  saveth  none.)  I.  Peter,  3 :  21. 

M.  P.  Pray,  how  will  you  prove  open  or  mixed  communion,  to 
be  according  to  the  revealed  will  of  God  and  christian  experience  1 

O.  D.  Paul  says,  Col.  2:  6.  "As  ye  have  received  Christ  Jesus 
the  Lord,  so  walk  ye  in  him."  When  Christ  is  first  received  into 
the  heart  by  faith,  the  christian  then  loveth  all  that  appear  to  love 
the  Lord,  and  feels  that  fellowship  in  the  Spirit  with  those  who  talk 
of  the  spiritual  favor  and  love  of  Jesus.  Let  him  be  a  baptized  or 
unbaptized  believer,  he  loveth  him  as  a  brother  in  Christ  Jesus. 
This  is  the  fellowship  of  the  Spirit ;  and  we  are  told  to  keep  the 
2 


to 

unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace,  and  to  let  brotherly  love 
continue.  If  "this  is  the  teaching-  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  then, 
I.  John,  2:  27;  we  are  told,  that  having'  received  the  anointing, 
we  need  not  that  an)'  man  teach  us:  but  as  the  same  anointing 
teacheth  us,  so  we  are  cautioned  in  the  preceding  verses,  against 
those  that  seduce  us  from  this  bond  of  union.  We  are  also  cautioned 
against  the  inventions  of  philosophy  and  vain  deceit  after  the  tra* 
ditions  of  men,  and  not  after  Christ.  Col.  2:  8.  Our  Lord,  also, 
John,  13 :  34,  35,  declares  love  to  be  his  new  commandment ;  to 
love  one  another ;  and  declares  this  the  evidence  of  discipleship 
both  in  the  world  and  in  the  church  :  but  not  one  word  of  baptism 
is  mentioned.  Love,  christian  love,  is  the  true  bond  of  union  ;  and 
any  church  that  has  not  this  union,  although  baptized,  is  not  a 
a  church  of  God. 

M.  P.  You  make  love  to  the  brethren  the  bond  and  evidence  of 
church  fellowship.  I  think,  although  love  is  desirable  and  to  be 
cultivated  in  all  churches,  yet  we  are  told  that  the  world  loves  its 
own — that  sinners  love  sinners  ;  and  as  like  loveth  its  like,  I  think 
you  need  much  more  to  foim  and  keep  church  fellowship:  as  a  sound 
creed  and  article  of  agreement ;  also,  church  covenant,  signed  and 
enforced  by  church  discipline,  and  the  ordinances  kept  as  delivered 
to  us. 

O.  D.  I  still  say,  love  is  the  bond  of  union  in  a  christian  church ; 
and  all  covenants,  creeds,  or  discipline,  without  brotherly  love,  can 
never  form  or  be  a  church  of  Christ.  Yet  erroneous  men  of  every 
description  may  be,  and  are,  united  in  creed  or  sentiment ;  and  with 
zeal  support  and  propagate  their  errors,  and  rejoice  at  their  success 
in  making  proselytes  to  their  creed  :  yet  not  having  the  spirit  of 
God,  nor  Christ  in  them  the  hope  of  glory — are  none  of  his ;  are 
declared  to  be  sensual,  having  not  the  spirit  of  God,  and  reprobate  ; 
(II.  Cor.  13  :  5)  not  knowing  that  Christ  is  in  them.  Now  as  love 
to  Christ  and  the  brethren  is  equally  found  among  true  believers, 
both  baptized  and  unbaptized,  both  enjoying  the  same  fellowship 
with  God  ;  the  Spirit  also  bearing  the  same  witness  to  their  adop- 
tion, and  teaching  both  to  claim  the  precious  privilege  of  the  sons  of 
God,  the  pardon  of  their  sins,  &c,  they  are  both  truly  brethren  in 
Christ ;  and  without  a  plain  order  from  the  living  God  in  his  writ- 
ten word,  ought  not  to  be  interrupted  in  their  fellowship  or  church 
communion. 

M.  P.  Well ;  now  as  to  your  reasons  for  having  the  church  an 
open  or  mixed  communion. 

O.  D.  I  think  the  present  mode  of  baptizing  into  the  churches, 
or  before  receiving  into  the  fellowship,  often  causes  great  error. — 
Many,  without  knowing  the  use  or  end  of  baptism,  use  it  only  as  a 
duty,  or  to  get  into  the  church,  which  is  a  prostitution  of  the  ordi- 
nance ;  expecting  1  hereby  to  be  made  fit  for  communion  or  church 
fellowship  ;  and  also  by  their  subsequent  practice  say — stand  by 
yourselves  ;  we  are  holier  than  you  ;  we  have  been  baptized  ; — not 
discerning  the  humbling  doctrine,  that  through  the  death  and  re- 
surrection of  Christ,  we  poor,  lost  and  wicked  sinners  are  saved  from 
hell,  and  by  his  resurrection  are  raised  to  hope. 

In  the  early  ages  of  the  christian  church,  history  informs  us,  that 


a 

after  conversion  and  being  received  by  the  church,  they  were  taught 
the  gospel  doctrines ;  and  while  thus  taught  as  catechumens  till 
well  instructed  in  gospel  doctrine  ;  then  admitted  to  the  sacred 
ordinance  of  baptism — -and  not  before. 

JYI.  P.  But  we  find  no  such  delay,  nor  reason  for  delay  by  the 
apostles  ;  as  Cornelius  by  Peter,  and  the  eunuch  by  Philip* 

0.  D.  Cornelius  and  his  house  were  instructed  by  Peter,  and 
received  the  Spirit  of  God  and  believed  {  and  the  eunuch  was  in- 
structed by  Philip  and  believed  with  all  his  heart,  or  neither  could 
have  been  baptized.  But  in  the  present  day,  many  are  added  to 
the  churches  before  they  are  properly  taught,  and  cause  mourning 
in  Zion  and  ridhule  in  the  poor  worldlings,  who  view  such  things 
as  light  things ;  as  the  increasing  of  numbers  to  support  their  party, 
and  consider  the  conduct  as  the  act  of  priestcraft  or  as  cause  of 
boasting.  And  indeed,  instead  of  uniting,  it  is  a  cause  of  marring 
and  dividing  such  as  ought  to  dwell  together  in  love  ;  and  is  as  the 
badge  of  a  party,  a  bone  of  contention,  often  causing  the  infidel  to 
triumph,  saying,  "see  how  these  christians  hate  one  another  ;  see, 
they  cannot  eat  together  in  their  holy  feasts  or  religious  festivals. 
See,  see,  (say  they) — what  strife  between  the  churches  to  add  to 
their  numbers,  each  anxious  to  catch  the  new  convert  in  order  to 
increase  their  own  numbers/'  &c. 

O,  my  brethren  !  it  ought  not  so  to  be.  True  christians  ought  to 
dwell  together  in  love,  and  manifest  that  love  to  each  other  by  walk- 
ing in  charity  :  and  as  far  as  each  has  received  light,  receive  each 
weak  one  to  enjoy  such  privileges  as  are  not  plainly  forbidden ; 
and  take  every  opportunity,  in  love,  to  increase  their  light  by  in- 
structing them,  that  they  may  grow  in  grace  and  knowledge.  So 
we  are  told  to  build  up  one  another  in  His  most  holy  faith.  Again, 
ye  that  are  strong,  bear  with  the  infirmity  of  the  weak;  and  him 
that  is  weak  in  the  faith  receive  ye,  (but  not  till  he  is  manifestly  a 
son  of  God,)  but  not  to  doubtful  disputation.  O,  then,  close  breth- 
ren, close  ;  and  cause  the  poor  infidel  no  more  to  say — how  these 
christians  hate — but  how  they  love  each  other  :  and  that  we  may 
strive  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  Spirit,  rather  than  the  unity  of  cere- 
mony, in  the  bond  of  peace,  prays  yours. 


